Frontier Valley Conference Men's Basketball Standings, Week Nine

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The 2016-2017 season is well under way and the Frontier Valley Conference is as competitive as ever. Eight out of ten FVC teams are ranked within their divisions and the Union Redskins are currently the undefeated unanimous pick as the No. 1 team in the state. They are also the only remaining team undefeated in conference play. The FVC is currently ranked third out of the five 6A conferences in overall strength.

No. 1 Union (12-0, 6-0) holds the best defense in the whole state, allowing only 48 points per game, on average. They have the third-ranked offense in the conference and win by an average of 15.8 points. In the last two weeks they have topped Bishop Kelley 65-42, Owasso 62-39, and Muskogee 78-42. SMU-commit Ethan Chargois scored 22 against both Kelley and Muskogee, but sat out Owasso with a hand injury. In that game Mo Garcia stepped up to lead the team with 20 points. 

No. 9 Muskogee (8-2, 5-1) holds the second-best offense in the conference and the fourth-highest margin of victory. In the last two weeks they have topped Sand Springs 47-42 and Jenks 85-59, but were just hammered 78-42 by Union in what was expected to be a somewhat close match. Brooks Haddock has been the consistent top dog this season and posted 27 against Jenks, but could only muster a team-best 12 against the Redskins. Tyreece Berry has been back in action since the new year and led the team with 18 against Sand Springs. 

No. 13 Sapulpa (7-2, 4-1) has the top-rated offense in the conference, averaging more than 68 points per game. Both of their conference games this year have been close ones, 59-57 over Broken Arrow and 72-68 over Sand Springs. Keenan Balance led the Chieftains to a come-from-behind victory over their archrivals from Sand Springs with 23 points, closely followed by Keenan Balance with 21. Balance also posted a team-best 20 points against Broken Arrow.

No. 11 Broken Arrow (8-4, 4-2) holds the second-best offense in the conference, third in the state, allowing only 49.1 points per game for the third-best margin of victory in the FVC. The Tigers have had a tough start to 2017, falling 59-57 to Sapulpa and only topping Jenks 46-38 in a game that saw the entire starting line benched by a frustrated head coach. Make no mistake, the powerhouse program is still a solid contender for the conference title if they can over come Muskogee next week. 

No. 19 Bartlesville (6-5, 3-2) is middle of the pack both offensively and defensively, but has still managed to come out on top more often than not. The Bruins fell 76-68 to Bixby in triple overtime last week and had their game against Sapulpa canceled due to weather, but got back in the win column Tuesday with a 64-57 victory over Bishop Kelley. Barron Tanner has been the top dog in both of the last two games, scoring 23 against Bixby and 28 against Kelley. 

5A No. 14 Bishop Kelley (4-6, 2-4) has done a good job keeping up with the 6A public school competitors, but dropped both of their last two conference games. The Comets hold the fourth-best defense in the FVC, but fell 65-42 to Union and 64-57 to Bartlesville. Ryan Gendron posted 18 against Bartlesville, closely followed by Alex Woodruff with 17. 

No. 16 Owasso (7-5, 2-4) got off to a rough start with four straight losses to start the season, but have been making a solid comeback since the new year. After topping 5A No. 6 East Central (8-5) and No. 8 Booker T. Washington (9-3) to sweep the Skiatook Invitational, the Rams returned to conference play with a bang. They defeated Jenks 66-52 and Bixby 62-50, but fell 62-39 to Union. Jake Thompson posted 10 against both Jenks and Union, with 15 against Bixby. Josh Proctor led the team with 16 against Jenks and 13 against Bixby. Courtre led against Bixby with 17 and also had 12 against Jenks. 

Bixby (5-7, 2-4) won a 76-68 triple-overtime shootout with Bartlesville, but fell 76-71 to Sand Springs and 62-50 to Owasso. Will Fiser scored 17 against Bartlesville, 22 against Sand Springs, and 11 against Owasso. 

No. 18 Sand Springs (6-6, 1-5) notched their first conference win with a 76-71 performance against Bixby, but fell 47-42 to Muskogee and 72-68 to Sapulpa after leading for most of the game. The Sandites have the fourth-best offense and third-best defense in the conference. Colt Savage posted 20 against Muskogee and Sapulpa and 34 against Bixby. Jacob Garbey had 21 against Bixby and Kyle Keener had 21 against Sapulpa. 

Jenks (1-9, 0-6) is still looking for their first conference win, despite a 21-point performance from Cole Surrett against Owasso and a 17-point performance from Eli Harris against Broken Arrow. The Trojans fell 66-52 to Owasso, 85-59 to Muskogee, and 46-38 to Broken Arrow. 

Conference Strength:

1. Big Ten (51.5)
2. Central Oklahoma (48)
3. Frontier Valley (45.4)
4. Green Country (43.1)
5. All-City 32.09

FVC Leading Scorers (points-per-game)

1. Colt Savage (Sand Springs) 21.2
2. Brooks Haddock (Muskogee) 20.7
3. Keenan Balance (Sapulpa) 19.9
4. Eli Harris (Jenks) 19.7
5. Caleb Huffman (Broken Arrow) 18.9
6. Julian Smith (Sapulpa) 17.1
7. Ethan Chargois (Union) 17.1
8. Kyle Keener (Sand Springs) 16.6
9. TyReece Berry (Muskogee) 16.3
10. Josh Proctor (Owasso) 15.8

January conference schedule:
1/24 Union @ Sand Springs
1/24 Bartlesville @ Muskogee
1/24 Broken Arrow @ Owasso
1/24 Bixby @ Sapulpa
1/24 Bishop Kelley @ Jenks
1/27 Sapulpa @ Union
1/27 Muskogee @ Broken Arrow
1/27 Sand Springs @ Owasso
1/27 Jenks @ Bartlesville
1/27 Bishop Kelley @ Bixby
1/31 Bixby @ Union
1/31 Muskogee @ Bishop Kelley
1/31 Broken Arrow @ Bartlesville
1/31 Owasso @ Sapulpa
1/31 Sand Springs @ Jenks
 

Colt Savage scores 34 as No. 18 Sand Springs tops No. 19 Bixby 76-71

Colt Savage led all scorers with 34 points in the Sandites' first conference win of the season. (Photo: Morgan Miller)

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

CPHS 76 Bixby 71

1Q Bixby 16-14
2Q Bixby 20-15
3Q Sand Springs 20-13
4Q Sand Springs 27-22

Fouls: Sand Springs 16, Bixby 18.
Free Throws: Sand Springs 21-of-28, Bixby 18-of-24. 

Scoring: (Sand Springs) Colt Savage 34, Garbey 21, Cale Savage 8, Wash 5, Taber 4, Golightly 2, Smith 2. (Bixby) Fiser 22, Hink 13, King 10, Waggnor 10, York 7, Moore 7, Homan 2. 

(Sand Springs only)
Offensive Rebounds: Wash 2, Taber 1.
Defensive Rebounds: Colt Savage 4, Wash 3, Cale Savage 2, Golightly 2, Durkee 1, Bogans 1, Smith 1, Taber 1.
Steals: Garbey 3, Colt Savage 1, Durkee 1, Taber 1.
Assists: Garbey 2, Wash 2, Colt Savage 1, Cale Savage 1.
Fouls: Colt Savage 3, Cale Savage 3, Durkee 3, Golightly 3, Garbey 2, Taber 2.

Muskogee 47 CPHS 42

1Q Muskogee 15-7
2Q Muskogee 12-12
3Q Sand Springs 17-12
4Q Muskogee 8-6

Scoring: (Sand Springs) Colt Savage 20, Keener 9, Garbey 9, Durkee 4. (Muskogee) Berry 18, Haddock 16, Davis 6, Evans 5, Cherry 2. 

(Sand Springs only)
Offensive Rebounds: Keener 3, Durkee 2, Colt Savage 1.
Defensive Rebounds: Keener 6, Colt Savage 5, Golightly 2, Garbey 1, Cale Savage 1, Bogans 1.
Assists: Cale Savage 2, Keener 1, Durkee 1.
Blocks: Keener 1.
Fouls: Colt Savage 4, Cale Savage 4, Garbey 3, Golightly 2, Durkee 1.

The No. 18 ranked Charles Page High School boys varsity basketball team (6-5) hosted the No. 19 Bixby Spartans (5-6) Friday night at the Ed Dubie Field House and rolled to a wild 76-71 finish for their first conference win of the season. 6'5 junior Colt Savage led all scorers with a career-high 34 points, and two other Sandites also set personal records in one of the highest scoring games of the season.

The Sandites were without 6'6" senior power forward Kyle Keener, who averages more than 16 points per game this season, but the rest of the team more than stepped up to make up for his absence. Savage, Jacob Garbey, and Caleb Wash all had career-high scoring performances and seven players got in the scoring column. Wash also led the JV game with 15 points earlier that evening.

The first half belonged to the Spartans, though the home team was competitive throughout. The Sandites got the lead to start before Will Fiser hit three straight free throws to tie it up at 6-6. From there it was a back and forth shootout that ended with a two-pointer from Parker Moore to take the 16-14 lead shortly before the buzzer. Tre Smith made his varsity debut and shot a two in the first period.

The second quarter was equally back-and-forth with four lead changes and two tied scores. The Sandites led 24-22 midway through after a two-pointer from Josh Taber, but the Spartans outscored the home team 14-5 in the final minutes for a 36-29 halftime lead after a last second three from Logan York.

It was the Sandites' time to shine in the second half, though the Spartans led for the entire third quarter. Midway through the period Colt Savage his a two, Josh Taber had a steal and a layup, then Savage hit a two and free throw to cut it to 45-44. Savage and Staton King both sank free throws and York hit a two, but Wash launched a buzzer-beater three to tie things up 49-49. 

The final stretch saw a combined 49 points and was the highest scoring quarter of the night. Fiser reclaimed the lead for his team with a free throw and a two-pointer to start, but Colt Savage did the same and younger brother Cale Savage shot a three to take the penultimate lead.

Fiser shot another two and added one from the charity stripe, but a three pointer from Garbey gave the Sandites the lead once and for all. Cale and Colt Savage each sank a pair of free throws to make it a seven-point game. Half of the fourth quarter was spent at the free throw line, where Colt Savage scored eleven of his thirteen points for that period. 

At one point the Sandites led by as much as 69-59 after a pair of free throws from Peyton Golightly. The Sandites let Fiser end the night with an uncontested three-pointer and officially put away their first conference win of the season.

The Sandites traveled to No. 9 Muskogee (7-1) on Tuesday and suffered a close 47-42 defeat, partially at the hands of a former teammate. Junior standout and former Sandite Brooks Haddock transferred to Muskogee shortly before the season began and has led his new team in scoring with 21.7 points per game. He posted only sixteen against Sand Springs, but he had the final four of the night, effectively sealing the victory for Muskogee.

The Sandites dug themselves in a hole early-on, trailing 15-7 after the first period, but matched their opponents in the second and won the third 17-12. The Sandites were within a field goal going into the final stretch and back-to-back layups from Keener and Colt Savage put them within a point of their first conference victory at 43-42. With under a minute to play, Muskogee was playing keep-away and the Sandites had to foul three times quickly to get the Roughers to the line. Haddock sank the first two and made it 45-42. Jacob Garbey, who was four-of-six for the evening, was driving up court to shoot when he stumbled and was called for traveling with 2.9 seconds left. The Sandites fouled Haddock once again, but once again he sank both of his shots to seal the deal. 

Colt Savage led all players in scoring with 20 points and six rebounds, shooting eight-for-ten on field goals. Muskogee senior Tyreece Berry led his team with 18 points.

Kierra McGee scores 16 as undefeated No. 3 Lady Sandites top Bixby 67-51

Senior Kierra McGee scored a team-high 16 points for the Sandites in a double-digit victory over Bixby. (Photo: Morgan Miller).

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The No. 3 ranked Charles Page High School girls basketball team (9-0 overall, 5-0 conference) continued their undefeated streak with a 67-51 victory over the Bixby Lady Spartans (4-9, 0-5) Friday night at the Ed Dubie Field House. 

The first and second quarters were both blowouts, but each was for a different team.

CPHS 67 Bixby 51

1Q Sand Springs 24-15
2Q Bixby 15-6
3Q Sand Springs 19-11
4Q Sand Springs 18-10

Fouls: Sand Springs 12, Bixby 15.
Free Throws: Sand Springs 9-of-13, Bixby 8-of-11.

Scoring: (Sand Springs) McGee 16, Kersgieter 14, Mutiri 13, Pennington 11, Regalado 9, Johnson 4. (Bixby) Bittle 17, Sloan 10, Pirtle 9, Stout 5, Tyree 5, Fuhr 3, Brown 2.

(Sand Springs only)
Offensive Rebounds: Mutiri 5, Kersgieter 3, Johnson 3, McGee 1, Collins 1.
Defensive Rebounds: Kersgieter 4, Mutiri 2, Pennington 2, McGee 2, Regalado 1, Johnson 1.
Steals: Pennington 5, Kersgieter 3, McGee 3, Johnson 2, Regalado 1.
Assists: Johnson 3, McGee 3, Kersgieter 3, Regalado 1.
Blocks: Mutiri 3
Fouls: Johnson 3, Pennington 3, Kersgieter 2, Mutiri 2, Regalado 1, McGee 1.

The Lady Sandites came out hot, building a 22-5 lead with back-to-back three-pointers from sophomore Isabella Regalado before letting the visitors back into the game.  Maddie Bittle was fouled on a layup and made her free throw, and officially took the lid off the basket for the Lady Spartans. Cassidy Sloan, Sarah Tyree, and Madison Fuhr all got in on the action and cut the lead to 24-15 to end the first. 

They ran away with it in the second. Regalado hit a three, Mutiri scored a two, and those were the only field goals the Sandites would score in the lopsided quarter, as the visitors outscored their foes 15-6. The Spartans nearly entered the half with the lead after Kenedy Brown sank a two for the go-ahead points with two seconds left. The Lady Spartans cleared the bench and stormed the court in excitement, but there were two seconds left on the clock and Holly Kersgieter got to shoot a free throw on a technical foul to tie it up 30-30.

The Lady Sandites made up for the second quarter in the second half, however, handily dominating both periods. Sophomore Destiny Johnson hit a basket to start the third in the Sandites' favor, but Kyndal Pirtle sank a three and Bittle shot a free throw to make it 34-32. That would be the last time the Spartans led. 

Kersgieter hit a three for the lead, added a pair from the charity stripe, and Sydney Pennington sank a two to make it 39-34. Bittle shot a three to try and slow the Sandites down, but Gloria Mutiri made a layup and a free throw immediately after. Sloan scored the last two Spartan baskets of the evening, but they were broken up by a seven-point run from the Sandites, who led 49-41 going into the final stanza. McGee scored nine in the fourth quarter, including a steal and layup to ice the cake at 67-51.

Bittle led all scorers with 17 points, followed by McGee with 16, Kersgieter with 14, Mutiri with 13, Pennington with 11, and Sloan with 10. 

The Lady Sandites will return to action next Tuesday when they host Highway 97 rival No. 19 Sapulpa (5-5), while Bixby will take on No. 10 Owasso (9-5) next Tuesday at home.